Tuesday, 8 November 2016

Child to Parent Violence: A Podcast Conversation with Helen Bonnick

With trepidation I flagged up on Twitter that I'd be speaking to Helen Bonnick for a podcast about Child to Parent Violence (CPV) and asked if anyone had any questions or issues that they'd like raised.

Predictably Twitter went up like a Catherine wheel, stories, questions, worries, requests for advice and help poured into my phone at a frenetic pace.
It is no longer a surprise that whenever it's mentioned that many parents, of all varieties, share their experiences and concerns with passion, vigour and relief at the opportunity to talk.

For us I think at the worst of the voilence they were some of the darkest days of our whole parenting experience, our world seemed to shrink to a very claustrophobic small place. Violence and more often the threat of violence dominated every day and the fact that the girls were so little, under 5, seemed to make it even more isolating.

Crikey how could such cute bundles of joy ever cause such chaos, violence and anxiety.

The seeming paralysis of professionals and those who were meant to support us exacerbated our isolation. It is one of the last taboos that adopters are often not prepared for the attrition that it brings into the home. Perhaps beyond that the self questioning and reflection on our actions and reactions in the midst of the violence are just as hard to manage with few friends or professionals to confide in for fear of misunderstanding.

We've found our path out of that dark place. Quite how is a story in of itself but needless to say the spectre of violence remains manifest in different ways with odd relapse.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the podcast.

If anything you heard or read made you want to find out more or join the debate then please visit Helen's website